Nail clam



May 22, 1956 R. R. BIXLER 2,746,788

NAIL. @LAM Filed Sept. l, 1953 I N VEN T OR.

if @mfg/w@ ATTDRNEYS 972.5rler United States Patent() NAIL CLAM Roy R.Bixler, Westminster, Md.

Application September 1, 1953, Serial No. 377,848

3 Claims. (Cl. 294-117) This invention relates to devices, such astongs, clam shell buckets, and the like, for picking up a plurality ofcomparatively small objects, and in particular a hand actuated toolhaving a plurality of pointed fingers or prongs extended downwardly frompivotally mounted frame members whereby with the device in an openposition, such as with the prongs in spaced relation, it may be insertedin a keg of nails and, by drawing upwardly on a sliding bar, the prongsmay be drawn together to pick up nails from the keg whereby acomparatively large number of nails may be picked up and placed on atray of scales or in a container without touching the nails by hand.

The purpose of this invention is to provide a grab or mechanical handfor picking up nails and the like without contacting the nails by hand.

Various types of prongs have been provided for removing nails from kegsand other containers, however, it is diicult to form such devices sothat a comparatively large number of nails may be taken with eachoperation and the process or moving nails from one bin or container toanother or from a bin or keg to a tray of scales is comparativelytedious. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a devicefor picking up objects, such as nails, which actuates in the form of aclam whereby the jaws or prongs are adapted to close with a rm grip,positively holding nails as the prongs or jaws are elevated and heldover a container or tray of a pair of scales.

The object of this invention is, therefore, to provide means for forminga pick-up device whereby gripping elements are adapted to be forceddownwardly into a mass of objects, such as a keg of nails and whereinthe gripping prongs are adapted to be brought together to retain aplurality of the nails therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mechanical grab devicefor picking up a plurality of nails and the like in which the device isresiliently actuated to free or drop the nails when it is released.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mechanical clam havingspaced nail holding prongs extended froni a handle in which the deviceis of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the inventionembodies a substantially U-shaped handle having inverted T-formations onthe lower ends of arms with frames having prongs extended downwardlytherefrom pivotally mounted in the ends of cross bars of saidT-forrnations and with the prong holding frames adapted to be actuatedwith a slidably mounted bar to which the frames are connected withlevers and links, for gripping nails and the like and in which theframes of the prongs are actuated to positions for freeing or releasingthe nails upon the release of the sliding bar, by springs.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

ICS

Figure 1 is a side` elevational view illustrating the im proved nailIgripping tool, part of one end of the frame of the tool being brokenaway to showthe slidable mounting of a bar therein.

Figure- 2 is an end elevational view of the tool shown in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section through the tool being taken on line 3-3 ot'Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is' a plan view of theV tool with the upper part of the handlebroken away to show the structure of the prong holding frame.

Figure 5 is a detail showing parts of the frames with parts broken awayand with one of the prong holding frames separated from the mountingframe or handle.

Referring now to thedrawing wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the improved nail gripping tool of this inventionincludes an inverted U- shaped handle 10 having arms 11 and 12 withcross bars 13 and 14, respectively, on the lower ends of the arms andwith frames 15 and 16 from which prongs 17 and 18, respectively depend,pivotally mounted in the bars 13 and 14 and connected to a sliding bar19 with links 20 and 21, the link 20 being connected to an arm 22extended from the bar or frame 16 and the link 21 being pivotallyconnected to an arm 23 extended from the bar or frame 15.

The lower ends of the prongs 17 and 18 are provided with points 24 and25, respectively and the upper ends of the prongs 17 are secured inopenings 26, in the bar 16. The prongs 18 are secured in similaropenings, as indicated by the numeral 27, in the bar 15.

The ends of the bar 15 are pivotally mounted with pins 28 and 29 inopenings 30 in the ends of the cross bars 13 and 14 and the bar 16 ispivotally mounted with similar pins, as indicated by the numerals 31 and32 in openings 33 of the cross bar.

The arm 22, which extends from the bar 16, is pivotally mounted by a pin34 in the lower end of the link 20 and the arm 23, which extendsinwardly from the bar 15 is pivotally mounted by a shoulder screw 35 inthe lower end of a link 21.

The upper ends of the links 20 and 21 are pivotally mounted on thesliding bar 19 and the ends of the bar 19 are positioned in verticallydisposed slots 35 and 37 in the inner surfaces of the arms 11 and 12,respectively.

The bar 16 is connected by a spring 42 to the sliding bar 19 and the bar15 is connected by a similar spring, also as indicated by the numeral 42to the opposite end of the bar 19.

A plate 43 is secured to the under surfaces of the cross bars 13 and 14,providing a closure for the intermediate part of the tool and alsoproviding means for protecting the fingers of a hand on the handle 10from nails or other sharp devices being picked up by the prongs.

With the parts formed and assembled in this manner the tool is grippedby the handle 10 and with the prongs in the free positions, asillustrated in Fig. 2 they are forced downwardly into a mass of nails,such as nails in a keg or bin and with the prongs in the nails the bar19 is drawn upwardly whereby the parts are actuated to the positionsshown in Fig. 3 whereby nails are gripped by the prongs.

The parts are held in this position by holding the rod 19 upwardly andthe prongs 17 and 18 inwardly until the tool is positioned over a trayof 4scales or over a bag or container, at which time the bar 19 isreleased and the springs draw the bar 19 downwardly to the positionshown in Fig. 1 in which position the prongs are spaced, as shown inFig. 2 so that nail-s or the like are dropped from the tool.

It will be understood that modications, within the scope of the appendedclaims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A nail gripping tool comprising as inverted U- shaped frame forming ahandle having vertically disposed arms at the ends with cross bars atthe lower ends of the arms, bars pivotally mounted in the ends of thecross bars and positioned between the arms of the handle, spaced prongscarried by the bars and extended downwardly therefrom, a rod slidablymounted in the arms of the handle, means for actuating the bars carryingthe prongs by the rod slidably 4mounted in the handle, resilient meansfor actuating the rod slidably mounted in the handle for turning thebars pivotally mounted in the cross bars to actuate the prongs torelease objects held thereby, and a plate secured to the undersurtace ofthe crossbars intermediate of said prongs.

2. In a gripping tool, the combination which comprises an invertedU-shaped handle having vertically disposed arms with cross bars on thelower ends at the ends of a connecting bar, bars with inwardly extendedarms positioned between the arms of the handle, means pivotally mountingsaid bars in the cross bars, spaced prongs extended downwardly from thepivotally mounted bars, a rod slidably mounted in the arms of thehandle, links carried by the rod and pivotally connected to the armsextended inwardly from the bars pivotally mounted in the cross bars,springs connecting the rod to the pivotally mounted bars, and a platesecured to the undersurface of the crossbars intermediate of saidprongs.

3. In a gripping tool, the combination which comprises an invertedU-shaped handle having vertically disposed arms with cross bars on thelower ends at the ends of a connecting bar, bars with inwardly extendedarms positioned between the arms of the handle, means pivotally mountingsaid bars in the cross bars, spaced prongs eX- tended downwardly fromthe pivotally mounted bars, a rod slidably mounted in the arms of thehandle, links carried by the rodV and'pivotally connected to the armsextended inwardly from the bars pivotally mounted in the cross bars,springs connecting the rod to the pivotally mounted bars, and a plateproviding a shield positioned between the prongs.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

